The California State Constitution requires that the Legislature approve a budget by June 15 of each year, 15 days before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. But over time, the budget has increasingly been enacted past this date. Read More

Let’s be clear about something: There is an education crisis in California. An inequitable education system is creating a lost generation of students. Soon the rest of California will feel this loss, as it ripples across an economy and civil society that needs a more skilled labor force, better educated and engaged residents, and a social safety network that will be stressed into bankruptcy. Read More

The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company has sent a five-pack of its popular Budgetary Alement Ale to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the rest of the state's "Big Five," in honor of the recent passing of the state's budget, which was a record 100 days overdue. Read More

When I retired as Governor Schwarzenegger’s Director of Finance at the end of last year, I decided that I wanted to remain involved in state policy, especially surrounding our troubled budget. Read More

Once considered one of the most powerful economic engines in the world, California recently made headlines for its record-breaking 100-day budget impasse. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated occurrence. Read More

On Saturday, Oct. 2, California Forward talked with attendees at the American Leadership Forum's (ALF) Reviving California Community Summit at the Flint Center in Cupertino, as part of our Speak Up for California campaign. Read More

Need a little help sorting out all of those propositions on this November's ballot? The California Voter Foundation‘s “Proposition Song Players” have put together a little ditty to help clear things up – the state-wide famous Proposition Song!
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This measure returns responsibility for determining the boundaries of the Californiaâ€™s legislative districts to the State Legislature, taking it out of the hands of a bipartisan commission recently established by voters. Read More

This measure returns responsibility for determining the boundaries of the California’s legislative districts to the State Legislature, taking it out of the hands of a bipartisan commission recently established by voters. Read More

This measure takes away responsibility from the State Legislature for determining the boundaries of the state’s U.S. Congressional districts, and puts it in the hands of a bipartisan commission recently established by voters. Read More

The notion that California is the place to “invent the American dream” may have been conjured up by real estate hucksters, but Californians largely accepted this romantic ideal during the 20th Century, thanks not only to the Mamas and the Papas and scores of other Hollywood musicians and movie-makers, but to the Progressive leaders who created a ballot initiative process that gives voters enough clout to act like a Fourth branch of government. Read More

From now until Election Day on Nov. 2, 2010, we dedicate our blog to you. This space is a forum for you to discuss and debate the issues facing our state, the propositions and candidates on the ballot, and how all of this affects us. Read More